Page 27 of Alpha Chained

But now that I’m lying like this, I’m not sure how to extricate myself without calling attention to my very compromised position. I risk a look up at him, and he seems to be fast asleep, his face softened in relaxation. I haven’t seen him like this before, and I find that I like it. The hard lines are gone, and he looks…almost vulnerable. It makes my throat tighten.

I shift a little, and his arm clamps me closer. He has it wrapped around me, pressing me up against his side. I stay still, listening as his breathing evens out. It’s strange. I’d have thought that a man as big and brutal as Riot would be a noisy sleeper, snorting or snoring or huffing or something. He’s silent, aside from that steady breathing. His chest rises and falls evenly against my cheek.

His skin is firm and warm. Smooth. Taut.

All of him is taut. So damn taut. There’s a light smattering of dark hair over his chest, intersected by the fine lines of scars. A fresh one mars the skin of his shoulder right beside my cheek. It’s healed shut but looks to have been recently made. My brows pull together. Something like that doesn’t belong on a body this freaking perfect.

Cut it out, Raura!

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to figure out what to do next. Maybe if I ease away slightly, I’ll be able to roll free. Although there’s always the chance I’m going to jar my arm, and it’s going to hurt like the devil.

Wait a bit…

The arm in question is the one I’m lying on right now. And it doesn’t hurt. I flex my wrist.

That’s interesting.

It’s better. A bit tender but not painful at all. Shifters heal faster; I know that much. But this fast? I’ve never had a break before, so maybe it’s like this for all of us.

Overnight, though?

“Good morning.”

I suck in a breath. He’s awake.

“How did you sleep?” His voice is husky…and too damn sexy to be appropriate for our circumstances.

“Fine,” I squeak. “I’m…sorry. I didn’t mean to…” I glance down at where my very naked body is plastered against his very naked body.

“It’s okay,” he says. “Better this way…in case someone were to walk in.”

I tug at the cover to pull it over the swell of my breast. And my eyes are instantly drawn to where the fabric is tented below his waist.

Oh, my freaking God!

I snap my eyes back up.

Morning Glory, that’s all it is. I’m perfectly safe here. If he’d wanted to do something, he’d have done it already.

Though I can’t help going back to that moment last night when I’d fallen against him. There was no mistaking his reaction then. That monster had been right up against me.

“Did you?” I ask. “Sleep well, I mean.” God, why does he make me feel so awkward?

Probably because he’s butt naked against you?

But it’s more than that. He’s had me tongue-tied since the moment I laid eyes on him. Hasn’t stopped me from trying to talk to him, but maybe that’s just because I’m generally chatty. I always have been.

“Yes,” he says. “Slept like a baby.” Even white teeth flash as he grins, and I can’t seem to take my eyes off his face. He’s beautiful when he smiles. What am I thinking? He’s beautiful always…but this. This is something else.

Keeping his arm around me, he raises the other one over his head, his body flexing as he stretches languidly. And there it is. Miles and miles of manly muscle undulating against me.

Lord help me.

I pull away.

“Stay close,” he says, and I stop. “You never know who might be watching.

I cringe as I flash a look around the room. “Watching?” I lick my lips. “You mean…like they could have cameras or something?”